Mar 12, Colombo: A Sri Lankan court has ordered an inquiry on a police officer alleged of giving false information to the court about the former Sunday Leader journalist Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema.

Colombo Magistrate Court ordered the Colombo Crimes Division of Police to investigate the officer who has allegedly reported to the court that Ms. Abeywickrema has been avoiding the court, the BBC Sinhala Service reported.

When the case was heard at the Court today, the counsel representing the journalist has told the court that the false statement by the police has been published in several national newspapers.

The counsel further told the court that his client was served notice to appear before the court only on March 5. The lawyer accused the police of misleading the court and asked the judge to order an inquiry into the police officer's action.

However, the police rejected the statement of Ms. Abeywickrema's counsel.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Mohammad Sahabdeen after listening to both sides ordered the Director of the CCD to conduct an inquiry into the police officer's conduct and submit a report.

Ms. Abeywickrema, Associate Editor of English weekly Sunday Leader and the president of the newly formed Sri Lanka Journalists' Trade Union (SLJTU) has told the court that the intruders broke into her house threatened to kill her and examined all the documents in the house.

Five armed men broke into her house in Bambalapitiya in the wee hours of August 24, 2013 and held her at knife point while searching her home for valuables and documents. The police arrived in time to catch the robbers and one of them was killed during the arrest.

Following the incident the journalist, who has come under death threats fled the country along with her family.